Studio Policies

Below are the lesson policies for 380 Music Studio. At your first lesson, you will be given two paper copies of the policies below: one to keep, one to sign and return. Please be sure to review our studio policies carefully so that we may put our focus on learning, rather than on housekeeping items.

SCHEDULING LESSONS
Lessons are held on the same day at the same time each week. Your lesson time starts at the scheduled lesson time. Be ready to play and learn when you arrive at lessons.
 

We do not offer “every-other-week” lessons. Consistent weekly lessons are necessary for development and enjoyment, even if the student is “just taking lessons for fun.”
 

LESSON PAYMENT PROCEDURES
Payments are made directly to the teacher for the month in advance. Cash or check only.
 

Payments are due before the 1st of each month. Any payments not received by the first lesson of the month will incur a $20 late fee. All payments, including late fees, must be current in order to receive a lesson.
 

 Students commit to one month at a time. Once the 1st of the month occurs, the student is committed to that month.  If a decision is made to discontinue lessons in the middle of the month, the student may choose to take or forfeit the remaining lessons, but no refund will be given.
 

$30 fee for bounced/returned/dishonored Checks/payments. Payment for tuition plus $30 fee must be paid before the student receives another lesson.
 

Students are charged a flat-rate fee per month. Most months, the student will receive 4 lessons. Some months, because of the way the weeks fall, the student will receive 5 lessons: we do not charge extra for 5-lesson months. Occasionally, due to pre-scheduled vacations such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, the student will receive 3 lessons in a month. The 3-lesson months and the 5-lesson months balance out to an average of 4 lessons per month over the course of the year. Students will receive a list of pre-scheduled vacations each semester. See “Pre-Scheduled Vacations” on this page.
No refunds or credits are given if a student discontinues lessons before their 3- and 5- week months balance out.
 

The only time we prorate tuition is during the first month of lessons and in extreme circumstances, which are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. For example: we do not prorate tuition when a student decides to discontinue lessons or wants to take time off.
 

PRE-SCHEDULED VACATIONS
Specific dates for pre-scheduled vacations will be announced at the beginning of each semester. In general, we do not teach on normal school vacation days, including:
Spring Break                                                  Halloween (Lessons starting after 5 pm.)
Memorial Day                                                 Thanksgiving Week
July 4th Week                                                 Christmas/New Year's Vacation
Labor Day                                                       * Tuition is not adjusted for pre-scheduled vacations.
 

MAKE-UPS & ABSENCES
Lessons missed due to teacher absence will be made up when a  mutually convenient time can be scheduled.
Lessons missed due to student absences can be made up by attending a 45-minute group make up class. Make up classes will be offered once per month on varying days/times. Student must reserve a spot for the make up class in advance. See Melodie for further instructions on how to register for a make up class.  An absence will not be eligible for a make up class if the student/parent fails to provide at least 30 minutes notice of the absence.
Make up classes may include one, some, or all of the following, depending on the students registered: music history, music theory, note reading drills, music games/activities/contests, ensemble playing, performance skills, and individual practice time with the teacher.
Students who have discontinued lessons are no longer eligible to attend make up classes.
 

LONG TERM ABSCENCES
Long-term absences are detrimental to the student’s development and enjoyment of lessons. After returning from a long-term absence, the student will experience frustration as they will be reviewing things they knew a short time ago!
Teachers are not able to hold spots for students who take a long-term absence from lessons. We ask all students to continue lessons throughout the summer. Students who continue through the summer will be given first priority when scheduling lessons for the fall. If the student must take a long-term absence, the only way to hold a spot with the current teacher is to pay for lessons throughout their absence.

DISCONTINUING LESSONS
Student/Parent must inform their teacher by the 20th of the month in order to cancel lessons and discontinue billing for the following month (ex: notify by 9/20 to discontinue in October).  There are no refunds for un-used lessons due to student cancellations except in extreme situations at the discretion of the teacher.
Tuition billing will continue until you notify the teacher of your discontinuation.

MISCELLANEOUS
It is the parent's responsibility to communicate absences, cancellations and to give payment. Important information and tasks should not be given to students.
 

The teacher reserves the right to un-enroll or decline any student due to student behavior, parent behavior, lack of payment, or any other reason the teachers deem necessary.

ENTERING/EXITING PROCEDURES & PARENT PRESENCE
 

If your lesson time starts after 5:00, please park your car on the street in front of my home. Otherwise, feel free to park in the driveway or on the street.
 

One minute before your lesson time, please come up to the door and knock or ring the bell. Please do not knock or ring the bell prior to one minute before your lesson time, except for urgent bathroom needs.
 

Parents may watch the lesson (I have seating for you in the studio room), or may sit in their car in front of the house. Any siblings that will be waiting in the house should bring something quiet to do. Students and any lesson observers need to stay in the piano room. Please do not wander the house.
 

After our first lesson together, once I get to know the student, parents may leave during the lessons, provided I give approval and provided the parent:
-Returns at least 5 minutes before the lesson is scheduled to be finished.
-Confirms that they have their cell phone with them, turned on so they can hear it ring.
-Confirms that the teacher has an accurate/current cell phone number.
-Understands that I may not be first-aid certified and/or up to date on first-aid training. If your child appears to need medical attention, I will call 911. If appropriate and if you are waiting in the car, I will attempt to first communicate with you before calling 911. However, if it appears to me that it is an urgent medical need, 911 will be called first, and then you will be informed. It is understood that any and all costs associated with such call will be paid for by the parent/student, not the teacher/studio, regardless if medical professionals determine there to be no medical emergency.
The parent/student understands that the teacher/studio is NOT a babysitter or childcare facility and agrees to hold the teacher/studio blameless for any inability to administer proper first aid care to the student. Parent/student assumes all risk when they, or any of their children/friends/relatives, are in the studio.

The teacher reserves the right to charge a late pick up fee of $1 per minute should a parent repeatedly pick up their child late from lessons.

Group Lessons & Class policies are the same as the Private Lesson policies listed above with one exception: There are no make ups/reschedules if a student misses a group lesson or class. It is the student's/parent's  responsibility to find out what was covered while they were absent and to make it up on their own.